STRENGTHING CAPACITY IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY STATISTICS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE "ONE UN" PILOT EXERCISE

PROJECT TITLE: STRENGTHING CAPACITY IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY STATISTICS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE "ONE UN" PILOT EXERCISE

Finance Instrument: World Bank

Project Status: Completed

Implementation period: 02.07.2013-31.12.2014

Funded by: UN Coherence Fund, UNESCO

Contribution amount: 17,290 Eur

Type of assistance: Technical Assistance

Beneficiary: INSTAT, ARTI (Albanian Agency for Research, Technology and Innovation), Line Ministries &other institutions

Implementing Agency: INSTAT, ARTI (Albanian Agency for Research, Technology and Innovation)

Statistical Domains: Economic Statistics

Project objectives:

R&D Statistics: Various reports published by UNESCO and other organisations have shown the urgent need for radical interventions in re-structuring the Albanian higher education, science and research system. Funding for scientific R&D in Albania is estimated in 0.18% of GDP, which is one of the lowest levels in Europe. No survey on R&D system has been carried out in line with the international standard and nothing is known about the private sector. Although efforts have been undertaken by the new Government to improve the integration of research into the higher education framework, the lack of a clear implementation strategy and qualified human potential are hindering reform's results. To this aim Albania is facing concerns the collection of internationally comparable S&T statistics and indicators. No annual survey on R&D activities has been launched until the present in Albania. Previous reporting by the Albanian National Institute for Statistics (INSTAT) for UNESCO's survey has been based on estimations. Absolute prerequisite for the development and implementation of evidence-based policies improved and coordinated data collection and analysis remains a pressing need at all levels of the Albanian government.

Project results:

The UNESCO Venice Office (UVO) has supported the organization of some meetings of the Advisory and Technical Working Groups that led to the Sectorial Strategy on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) being elaborated and adopted by the Albanian Parliament in 2009.
A bilingual version Albanian-English of the Strategy was published on January 2010.
A 1st survey on STI statistics and indicators of the public sector has been completed in June 2009 but important issues remained to be solved. Then in 2013 RDI survey has been re-elaborated with a working group at the INSTAT.
The working group has elaborated R&D survey for public sector and RDI survey for private sector. This new survey of R&D in Albania is in compliance with international standards.